Josè Rosenbaumasaur

I have a confession to make. I like McDonalds now.

I didn't always, in fact, this is something which has only really changed over the past couple of years. So, what happened? Well, McDonalds has crap burgers, average fries and an overpriced menu.

Mmm, their apple pies though... so good...

( Then, a few things changed... )

( Now, sure, 90% of Maccas' menu is still shite. )

So, what's there to hate about Maccas now? Sure, 90% of menu is crap, but I've covered that. Lack of option X? So eat elsewhere, that's not so much a failing on their part as a difference in preference on yours. To clarify - when it comes to just the "regular" burgers I GREATLY prefer Whoppers over most all Maccas burgers. But just because I now like Maccas doesn't mean I dislike any others - I am in no way stating any order of preference in this rambling diatribe; just a new like.

Old McDonalds: nothing special, like any other fast food place. Dislike.
New McDonalds: cheap AND sensitive to changing trends (health, animal welfare, etc). Like.

While riding to work today, a bird flew right in front of me/past me on my bike. I thought from the flash of orangish/brownish it was simply a wattlebird being territorial over a smaller bird (a wren? honey eater?) But when I glanced over to have a better look - it was a small raptor of some sort, and just caught the smaller bird mid-flight! Something I have never before seen in the wild.. wow. I believe it was a Little Falcon:



I am rather enjoying the sights on the way to work (along the foreshore, over the narrows) - lots of juvenile ducks, goslings and cygnets. If only it weren't for the blasted headwinds!

So, what's new in my life?

In brief:

• New (temp) job*
• New housemate (but then, most of you know about that)
• New girlfriend (to quote Kendal: "Sarah** is almost ridiculously cute, does she come in gay?")

* which is as close to working at CSC as I'd like to get [they do the helpdesk/logging for the dept]
** I assure all you other Sarahs that the name is a coincidence :-)

• I am starting to look for a new guinea pig (sorry all you rat lovers, but I am still a pig-man at heart. If I could find a reptile as cute, I'd go there. Lazy pets are good pets)
• Finally got new tyres, brakes, lower ball joints and a transmission flush for my car ($1100 later). Next - lpg injectors & possibly a map sensor.

Life is.. plentiful at the moment. Smiles all round. And its not just the ganja!

I have to admit, I was rather surprised when I heard it mentioned in relation to my previous post(s). Really? That was drama? Sorry, yea of low standards, but that isn't.

THESE are loldramas:
2007-01-14: mexicanjewlizrd: Vegatarians don't have a sense of humour!: http://mexicanjewlizrd.livejournal.com/36964.html
2007-05-19: mexicanjewlizrd: I have no friends and I'm an ass!: http://mexicanjewlizrd.livejournal.com/40708.html

But what amuses me is how much I'm reminded of why I chose this LJ username:

http://mexicanjewlizrd.livejournal.com/471.html

Just to share a small piece of horror, this is directly related to the last post. Chris and I used to joke about this one episode of Friends; in season 2, episode 16.

http://www.amazon.com/Friends-Complete-Second-Jennifer-Aniston/product-reviews/B000068CNX: The One Where Joey Moves Out - Funny episode for Joey licking a spoon putting it back without washing it and his story about soap. Emotional when Joey moves out making you think just when you think the show is stable and reliable anything can happen.

There is a line, a quote which haunted Chris and I.

Joey: I don't get it. Why can't we use the same toothbrush? We use the same soap.
Chandler: That's different. The toothbrush has been in my mouth.
Joey: OK. But next time you're in the shower, think of the first place you're washing, and the last place I washed.

And fairly early into Lee's residence, I started washing the soap before using it to wash myself (well, rinsed it off thoroughly anyway).

[the first minute]


ps. Joey: you are as a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

It has come to my attention that many people do not entirely understand the discomfort that was living with Lee. My last entry was locked to reduce the general "attack" on Lee, but it seems that discussions he and others have had would be illuminated by the unlocking of my last post.

NOW OPEN : http://mexicanjewlizrd.livejournal.com/64658.html

"But", you may inquire, " what was this unlocking in response to?" Well, this is his latest entry: http://leemur.livejournal.com/161248.html

My reply to his entry was screened and he did not post it. People have begun to form opinions based on this post of his. As such, for interests of full disclosure, I wrote[copy-pasted] this for the peanut gallery. For those interested in this retarded back-and-forth, after reading his post, please ( read beneath the cut )

---

Now, that said, he DID reply privately by email.
( Email from Lee )

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/andrew-steele/the-greatest-human-is-dead/article1293395/

Norman Borlaug is dead.

That probably means nothing to most people.

But Borlaug – along with other researchers who create the Green Revolution in food production – saved between two hundred million people and one billion people, depending on how you do the math.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIvNopv9Pa8


I first heard of him from that episode of Bullshit. And ever since, I have tried to spread word of his deeds.

His passing is truly a great loss. His legacy - life, life on a grand previously unheard of scale - is something to be in awe of and respect.

normally $330, I'm going to get it for $250: http://www1.ap.dell.com/au/en/home/monitors/monitor-dell-sp2309wfp/pd.aspx?refid=monitor-dell-sp2309wfp&s=dhs&cs=audhs1


( Specs )

---

So, Lee has moved out. And there was much rejoicing. In fact, instead of having to listen to Lee alternate between belching and singing off-key as he wanders around the house, now I have to listen to Chris rant and rave about how happy he is now he's gone. About how he can finally leave his door open to get some fresh air, and doesn't have to put up with a shit-splattered toilet all the time.

( Why Chris and I would not recommend Lee as a housemate for anyone )

( Late edit )

It's such a relief - we have clean towels again, a breeze through the house, and a general feeling of peace, happiness and serenity has again fallen over us. Also - expect a housewarming party soon, as after much painful and painstaking deliberation, Chris and I have chosen a new housemate!

Update 2: I'm also seriously thinking about getting another guinea pig. I didn't feel it was a safe environment for one before, but now I am optimistic about the future.

Update 3: ( Why Chris and I would recommend Lee as a housemate )

FINALLY, after much (and I mean a LOT) of searching, I have finally found a netbook I actually want to get. While all the features I want exist in netbooks, no more than 3 out of 5 in any one - until now. Finally a netbook has arrived with most everything: The Dell Inspiron Mini 10.

Intel Atom Z530 (1.6GHz/533MHz FSB/512K Cache)
10.1" HD Widescreen Display (1366x768)
AT&T built-in cellular mobile broadband (HSPA 7.2) [minus $55USD/$66AUD for an internal GPS instead]
HDD: 160GB, 2.5inch, 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
56WHr Lithium-Ion Battery (6-cell)
Dell Internal Digital TV Receiver (ATSC)
Wireless 802.11g/n (1510) Mini Card
Bluetooth 2.1 module with EDR (BLTH10)
Intel GMA 500 Video
1GB DDR2 SDRAM
Integrated 1.3MP Webcam
-----------
$604.00USD == $728.00AUD... plus s/h to Australia ($40?)

From Dell Australia:
as above, but:
3-cell battery ONLY (no 6-cell option)
No 3G Modem (or GPS option)
No DTV receiver (to be fair, not that it matters, but in the USA version, it was free)
Option for 250GB HDD (+$73AUD)
-----------
$653.46AUD

Neither had an option to upgrade the ram - because then you would have to install Vista [Microsoft has very odd and very strict licensing regulations on what you can pre-install XP on] (only Dell Japan gives you that option)

If anyone has any other suggestions for netbooks with: a high res screen, bluetooth, 11n wifi, 3g modem, 6+ cell battery (5+ hour battery life), good touchpad/buttons and/or more - please, I'm open to ideas.
(The Gigabyte M912X and Sony Vaio-P are interesting... but not perfect)

Dear Diary,
Last night I witnessed righteous nerd rage (the less-physically-able version of "'roid rage"). It was an amusing sight.
A large (rotund) and very drunk man at a work function claimed we didn't go to the moon (in '69). I was a little surprised by such a statement in an office full of educated IT folk, and started to rebut, but then a shorter man in his 40s(+) overheard... and snapped.
Full on righteous nerd rage; he was screaming at the drunken lout - a fight almost broke out... until the red in his eyes cleared a little, and he saw the other guy was twice his size/bulk and at least as drunk... and he got pushed back into a fridge.

Don't tell astronomers the moon landing didn't happen. Bad things could happen.

Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves.
- Carl Sagan

Day 4: Wandered Fitzroy - down Brunswick st, over to Gertrude, then spent the rest of the afternoon/evening with the delightful company of Craig and Karen (of Kremmen fame). Ate some tasty chinese food, and some amazingly delicious but blazingly hot curries at "Tandoori Times" (which I highly recommend. On 199 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, I believe. 190 maybe.). Cheapish too, and there are 25% off vouchers in the Entertainment book.)

Day 5: Wandered Fitzroy some more - fell in love with Smith St*, wandered around, back to Lygon, down into the west end of the CBD (a very boring place west of Elizabeth, I found out), and finished up at the "Chill On" bar near Russel and Lonsdale. It's a little bar where the bar, walls, tables, chairs and sculptures are all made of ice. Even the cups and shot glasses. Very awesome place. A jager shot at -10C is so delicious. Amazingly good. Even better than jager and redbull. Finally, dinner at Café Segovia down Block place.

* the bookshops, the 2nd hand curio stores, the cafés, the restaurants, the BDSM store, the random clothing & art shops, the little art galleries - it was like the best parts of eastern Northbridge.

Melbourne is quite lovely.

Quotes (out of context, of course):

Colin: Ten inches is big enough for me.
Me: ...

Some time later:

Colin: okay, I've got to go take a crap.
Me: alright, and I guess I'll go get some pliers and destroy my ring.


[for those wondering, the topics were netbooks and camera thread adapters]

Day 3: walked a LOT. From Flinders station, to the Police Museum, to the convention centre, through South Bank, to the Shrine of Rememberance, through the Royal Botanical Gardens, to the MCG (it's a LOT of walking!), caught a bus to Lygon St where I had a cake at Brunetti's wandered into a couple awesome book shops - and "Carlton Video Dogs" video shop (mostly rentals) - which while a tiny shop, had a selection to put Planet Video in its place (really), then a gelati at Gelatissimo - which was amazingly delicious, and the woman was /so/ nice and helpful. [Highly recommend: www.gelatissamo.com.au.] Then walked to Melbourne Central (was Diamaru) where I wandered into the local Games Workshop, then around level 2. Level 2... is another world of clothes. Level 2 has "Anton's" [Shop 224, Melb Central, or Shop 105, 77 Castlereagh St, Sydney]. Amazingly good clothes. The kind to put every single goth in Sin and everyone in Deville's to abject shame. Of course, all local made, short run stuff. Jackets at $650-$950, shirts at $130-$240, waistcoats at $220-$280. I now have a reason to raise my social class :-P ] After that, drinks at a pub on level 3 with a couple ex-Perth friends, then off to the Gin Palace for a round of =amazingly= good cocktails (at $18 each, they were, and I can say this - worth it), then wandering around lost for a while until I was finally led to E:55 on Elizabeth, a trendy, indy relaxing bar. Very nice little place, highly recommend, especially for happy hour ($10 jugs).

Only problem today - not enough food. Still, drank enough to compensate =-D

Melbourne... is quite lovely.

Day 1: Went to the Victoria Markets, wandered through Harbor Town/Docklands, had a delicious lunch at an italian restaurant on Lygon st*, followed by dinner at this little chinese place in china town - cheap and tasty.
* Café Cavallino

Day 2: Wandered Elizbeth st, Swanston st, little colins st area, flinders quarter, had lunch at Alice's Thai Restaurant (very tasty and cheap), more wanderings, and finished with dinner at Tsindos Greek restaurant (in the Greek quarter) - amazingly delicious, I highly recommend it.

I have been /so/ full, all the time here. Rained lightly a bit today, but otherwise has been quite pleasant - not cold, barely windy. So far, I recommend this town. [Some things are a bit much - like $35 entry to the aquarium? ick.] But I LOVE all the little alleyways and laneways, filled with curio shops, bars, cafés and similar.

Maybe its the weather. Maybe its something else, but I have bee sleeping SO much lately. Its quite lovely.

16 hours, 11 hours, 12 hours, 14 hours... (in 4-8 hour blocks) Its like a massive catch up, and I'm not complaining. If one could nom sleep, I would be doing so.

Life stuff: updated my cover letter slightly, applying to jobs, Centrelink is chugging along...
Going to Melb on Sat night, for no reason other than I can.
Going to Bali in Sept with others, we encourage you to join us :)

Words/phrases that need to be brought back:

Bombastic:
* Pompous or overly wordy; High-sounding but with little meaning; Inflated, overfilled
* ostentatiously lofty in style; "a man given to large talk"; "tumid political prose"
* bombastically - turgidly: in a turgid manner; "he lectured bombastically about his theories"
* bombastically - in a grandiose manner; "the building was bombastically spacious"

Old Bean:
* a classic British familiar form of address, roughly equivalent to an American’s greeting of “buddy,” “pal” “friend,” or, at least lately, “dude.”

and possibly, Card:
* wag: a witty amusing person who makes jokes
* (informal) An amusing but slightly foolish person.

UPDATE:
also, Discombobulate>:
* bewilder: cause to be confused emotionally
* confuse: be confusing or perplexing to; cause to be unable to think clearly;
* To throw into a state of confusion; to befuddle or perplex

It's been bothering me for a little while now that I haven't been as open on my LJ as I would like to be. If you compare some of my earlier entries with my later, it's slowly become more and more a 'dump journal'. A place to either dump information (travels, parties) or occasionally vent.

One of the reasons I was recommended to start this, [and then did because of] was to get out some of the more personal stuff. To open up a bit of myself, to confront it. When I write, after I write, I am no longer thinking about whatever was bothering me. I can safely forget it, knowing it is recorded. Some of my earlier writings reflected this more personal reflection.

I don't like this growing feeling of a need to censor what I write - if I write it, I'll tend to stand by it. One of the reasons I've always kept this journal open and have been actively against locking it down. But...

But, well, I need to do something to pacify this growing disconcertedness. One option is to harden the fuck up. The other is to lock some entries. So, that's what I'm doing. Going the pussy route - and I'm okay with that. I know my limits.

Okay, not a rant this time. This time, instead of the usual barrage of textual abuse I spew into digital ether, I would like your opinions. What's the common colloquialism? "Dear Lazyweb..."

What do you do about / how do you handle cognitive dissonance? Okay, that's not entirely accurate or clear. When something is out of place, when something is going on that you don't like, what do you do about it?

The problem with the question as presented above is that it still is a little vague. I mean, we would (should?) have different responses to large scale things (politics/activism) compared to small/local events. I guess my query is more towards the latter.

Let's give some examples - friends making choices. Now, with things that directly effect you most choices are fairly easy. If your friend wants to cut off your hand for no discernible reason, one's reaction might be to stop them / not let them do so. But as you get further away from the "direct effect" qualifier - how do you act/react up these events?
What if your friend want to cut off someone else's hand? What if they wanted to cut off their own hand? What if they wanted to commit suicide?

[these are purposefully extreme examples.]

Okay, let's throttle it back a bit.

What if they took a course they hated? What if they started hanging out with "the wrong crowd" (in your opinion)?

Now, at some point all actions a friend does effect you, insofar as how much you are invested emotionally in that friend. BUT - how much / at what point does/would your interference adversely affect your friend? (That is, at what point does the cure become worse than the disease?)

Suicide is fairly easy to sort out - they may be briefly resentful... but they're not dead.
What about the other extreme? Say... bad color matching with their wardrobe? Do you tell them that their favorite sweat band they wear ALL the time is horribly ugly and out of fashion?

What about choices they make with relationships? If a friend has a horrible or abusive boyfriend/girlfriend, do you say something to them? What if they're just dick and annoying, and not really that bad - you don't like them, but your friend seems to.

Do you stop spending time with that friend (around their partner)? Do you grin and bear it? Where do you draw the line? What if your friend was =truly= happy with this person? [or, to get away from 'person', substitute 'activity' - say they really like thrash metal and insist on it playing all the time]

What if your actions (against what they liked and you didn't) caused them to avoid something they really liked/wanted? Should you feel guilty? Were they too weak?

Is making an ultimatum okay?
...is just walking away? If we assume that the situation is one where you feel so uncomfortable that something needs to change, which route do you prefer - and why?

Think extremes, fair has little to do here, but doing =right= is what I'm asking. What is the best option(s) in your opinions?

"I'd fuck you, but I wouldn't date you"

I referenced this line recently, by way of Mog's mentioning of it long ago, to make a point. It made me think a little, about /what/ it meant, especially in the realm of fuck buddy vs friend w/ benefits vs casual relationship (etc)

I talked about this ever so briefly before [ http://mexicanjewlizrd.livejournal.com/39201.html ] but not in a way which is relevant to this topic.

a benchmark:
* would you talk after sex? what would you talk about / would you have anything to talk about?

On the new UK sitcom "How Not to Live Your Life", an amusing point was made. If a guy was with a girl, and said to her "you're a bit of a bitch, but I'd still like to shag you anyway. Let's go back to my place." She'd kick his arse from here to tomorrow, and he'd never see her again.
Reverse the roles. If a girl was with a guy, and she said to him "you're a bit of a prick, but I'd still like to shag you anyway. Let's go back to my place." Generally speaking, he'd probably be briefly taken aback, but would then be making out with her / out the door and halfway to her place before she could draw another breath.

I've got a mild beef with double standards, but I get where they come from, so I'm going to leave it alone for this rant.

We make some interesting judgment calls about who we spend time with and why. Look around at your circle of friends & acquaintances. You have workmates - people you get along with, but are only friends because you work together. Drinking buddies - people who are your best mates at a pub - but no-where else. Climbing/cycling partners [or other exercise/sport] - and so on.
But do your (other) friends give you a hard time for having those type of friends? No. But if you have sex with someone just because you want to - you've crossed a line. If you make out with 'some guy' - you're now a slut.

THIS is a double standard I really dislike. It is pervasive through most social lines, including gender lines.

Okay, okay, there IS a difference that I should address. It is easier to become emotionally attached / it is easier for one partner to be mis-informed about the nature of the relationship, than in other (activity) relationships. For example, your climbing partner might be a little miffed at being stood up / having to find someone else to climb with, but it (generally) won't have the same emotional impact/devastation as with a sexual partner.
The solution? Be a fucking adult. Be honest and open at all times. All parties concerned. If one person always has to be the grown up, that's almost just as bad.

So, what are those bitchy, gossipy people really on about? What hurt their sensibilities? I like to think that it is based around protectiveness regarding that last item.

But a crappy double standard is still a crappy double standard.

I guess the problem with (against/towards) the opening statement is its bluntness. I think Chopper Reid said it best: "Harden the fuck up." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unkIVvjZc9Y

To those of who are such a tightarse that you won't let your partner stick a finger in "just to experiment" - to you I say: grow the fuck up.

[In retrospect, part of me hopes that some of my analogies will be understood and not taken at face value. Ah, well.]